Sooo many meditation questions

suenos096

I was wondering about the comment I've seen a lot of people make that meditation makes everything or certain things clearer. What does that mean for you? What is meditation making clearer? Does it make you see your life and situations clearer? How does it create awareness? I initially thought it was to relax yourself and be at one with the universe but it does seem that there are many more benefits than just those. I've read the meditation thread and that's where some of these questions come from. Oh yeah, and does it last for a long time, is it just while you're meditating?

Sorry there were a zillion questions in there but believe me I've got plenty more where that came from. Let me meditate and practice some more! And about practicing...your eyes are supposed to be closed right? But how do you keep them open? I spent a few seconds trying to figure that out and then I quit closed them and figured I'd ask later. ( I did meditate though). Also how the heck do you keep from yawning? I'm not even tired!
And is it ok to meditate on the crickets instead of my breath? They are SOOO loud!

By the way, the last time I meditated the songs went a away (for about 5-10 secs) and it was weird. I could fell myself wanting to think and I pushed those thoughts away, but I could hear my inner self saying "Am I doing it? I think I'm doing it!" Silence. "No I wasn't because I was thinking. See I'm thinking right now! Shhh!" Silence. "I think I'm doing it!"

Thanks SO much in advance!

comicallyinsane

Seee practice makes perfect. LOL. Just keep paracticing. You see you are starting to be able to control your thoughts. It will get easier the more you do it. The best time ot meditate is when you are awake, preferrably in the morning. If you meditate to help you realx to sleep then do it at night. I taught a person at work to meditate recently and she tried it and ended up falling asleep. LOL. It is like when you work out. You have to get through the soreness(stray thoughts) but eventually you will get into shape.

Simonthepilgrim

This came today from Sogyal Rinpoche:

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[font=Palatino, Times Roman]When you arrive naturally at a state of meditation, inspired by the View, you can remain there for a long time without any distraction or special effort. There is nothing called “meditation” to protect or sustain, for you are in the natural flow of the wisdom of Rigpa. And you realize, when you are in it, that is how it has always been, and is. When the wisdom of Rigpa shines, not one shadow of doubt can remain, and a deep, complete understanding arises, effortlessly and directly.

This moment is the moment of awakening. A profound sense of humor wells up from within, and you smile in amusement at how inadequate were all your former concepts and ideas about the nature of mind.
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and this is from the Ten Ox-Herding Pictures:

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suenos096

Comic,
I don't know about the being awake thing in the morning. I'm never awake in the morning. I would fall back asleep. I have 3 little alarm clocks that wake me up. I can't even imagine beign awake before them! I'm not tired when I'm trying to meditate. I just yawn for some weird reason. Maybe I actually am tired and don't even know it. Hmmm...
I try to meditate when they are taking their nap.

Simon,
Thanks for that. You definitely answered my first zillion questions in a lil' over a paragraph! You're good! :bowdown:

Thanks for your responses Comic and Simon!

_BeautifulSpringtime

suenos096 wrote:

I just yawn for some weird reason. Maybe I actually am tired and don't even know it. Hmmm...

Hello, my friend!

I think you may be yawning beccause you're not breathing deep enough. Try doing some exercise whilst breathing at a normal rate - you'll yawn. It's your body's way of saying: "More oxygen please!"

So maybe it would be a good idea to breathe a bit more when meditating.

I'm glad to hear you're feeling like you're progressing. Try to remember 'good' practice or 'bad' practice - it's still practice! Try not to get wound up in getting 'better' and enjoy the practice for what it is - practice!

:bigclap:

suenos096

Ahhhh, yes. That sounds like an idea. I will def give that a try next session! Thanks so much BSF!

Now as far as the eyes closed but not really thing...how does that one work?

_BeautifulSpringtime

It's up to you.

Some people prefer eyes closed - other's half shut.

One might say that eyes closed offers more concentration due to the focus that it brings. However I always find the monkey mind gets bored and begins to project images upon the blackness.

Eyes half closed help ward off sleepiness and visions but can be more difficult when just learning to meditate.

For now - I'd say go with what works!

A deep bow,

Dave

Bodhisattva32908

Meditation is ,for me, a time to relax and take the modern day stesses off.

emmak

Sitting cross legged really hurts my hips. I meditate on that pain until I cannot feel it or until I don't know if it hurts or feels good...
I bet that makes NO sense.

comicallyinsane

I have an injured ankle so thta is out for me, too. I have never cared about how I am positioned. When I slip into meditation I can't feel my body anyway.

suenos096

This feels so good because it's helping a lot! I'm getting so much useful advice and I've been looking for this for so long...if only I could get in touch with a Sangha I'd be even happier and that would REALLY be alot because I'm already happy as it is

Emmak, that makes PERFECT sense. I understood that.

So it's ok to listen to those extremely loud crickets? It's night now and I hear them again. They can be as loud in the night as in the day. Never noticed that til I started meditating....looky there. :rolleyes: